The expression is a hard one." "Find another instead, then." "Sire, I will not attempt to do so.

I have already been unfortunate enough to displease your majesty, and it will, in every respect, be far better for me to accept most humbly any reproaches you may think proper to address to me." "You are right, monsieur; whoever conceals the truth from me risks my displeasure." "Sometimes, sire, one is ignorant of the truth." "No further falsehood, monsieur, or I double the punishment." Manicamp bowed and turned pale.

D'Artagnan again made another step forward, determined to interfere, if the still increasing anger of the king attained certain limits.
"You see, monsieur," continued the king, "that it is useless to deny the thing any longer.

M.de Guiche has fought a duel." "I do not deny it, sire; and it would have been generous in your majesty not to have forced me to tell a falsehood." "Forced! Who forced you ?" "Sire, M.de Guiche is my friend: your majesty has forbidden duels under pain of death; a falsehood might save my friend's life, and I told it." "Good!" murmured D'Artagnan, "an excellent fellow, upon my word!" "Instead of telling a falsehood, monsieur, you should have prevented him from fighting," said the king.
"Oh, sire, your majesty, who is the most accomplished gentleman in France, knows quite as well any of us other gentlemen that we have never considered M.de Botteville dishonored for having suffered death on the Place de Greve.

That which does in truth dishonor a man is to avoid meeting his enemy, and not to avoid meeting his executioner." "Well, monsieur, that may be so," said Louis XIV.; "I am very desirous of suggesting a means of your repairing all." "If it be a means of which a gentleman may avail himself, I shall most eagerly do so." "The name of M.de Guiche's adversary ?" "Oh, oh!" murmured D'Artagnan, "are we going to take Louis XIII.